Scaffold



givlw W. H. BOSTWICK.

SCAFFOLD.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. l9l8.

1,330,162 Patented Feb. 10,1920.

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' UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BOSTWICK, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent. 1 at t Feb 10, 11920.

Application filed January 31, 1918. Serial No. 214,692.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. BosT- wIoK, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk, State of Virgin1a,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scafiiolds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description-of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to scafiolds and particularly to convertible and adjustable scafiolds.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device whereby an extension ladder can be quickly and easily converted into a scaffold,

' Another object is to provide a novel and improved structure of this character wherein the braces for the device when used as a scaffold are adapted to serve as strengthening means for the device when used as an extension ladder.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent fromthe following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in the position when used as a scaffold.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device when used as a ladder.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on a line through the brace arms 17 and adjacent portions of the sections 11 and 14 of the ladder.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, and especially to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 10 and 11 represent a pair of ladder sections, each of which is provided with a. removable metal rung 12, disposed at a point intermediate the length of the section. One end of each ladder section 10 and 11 is provided witharernovable wooden rung 13, the use of which will appear hereinafter. intermediate section 14 has the third rung from each end removable, as shown at 15,

the rung 13 serving as the second rung of each end of the section 14 and the first rung of each section 10 and 11, when the device is used as shown in Fig. 3. The ends of the outermost'rungs 13 of the section 14 are engaged in the rails of the sections 10 and 11, and serve as the pivots between said sections. -Pivotally mounted for swinging movement on the ends of the metal rungs 12, and held thereon by the nuts 16, are the brace links 17. Each of these links has a pair of openings formed in its outer end, as shown at 18, said openings being arranged in longitudinal alinement.

lVhen the device is used as. a scaffold, as shown in Figs'l and 2,'the'links have their outer ends disposed at the sides of the ends of the rails of the section 14, the second rung 13, of the end of the section 14, being disposed through the inner openings of the links, while the other rungs 15 are disposed in the other openings of the links, but above.

and resting on the rails of the section 14. Thus the rungs 13 and 15 serve to hold the sections 10 and 14 against swinging movement. The other ends of the links are formed with additional openings 19 whereby the scaffold can be adjusted to different heights and the sections 10 and 11 atdifierent angles with respect to the section 14 and to the ground or floor.

When the device is used as a ladder the section 10 and the section 11 are swung into the position shown in Fig. 3, that is, in longitudinal alinement with and at opposite ends ofthe middle section 14. The openings in the inner ends of the side rails of the sections 10 and 11 will then register with the openings in the side rails of the middle section from which the rungs 13 were removed. Into the registered openings of the sections 10, 11, and 14, the'removed rungs 13 are placed, thus holding the sections in rigid alinement for use as a ladder, which ladder may be leaned against the wall of a building.

When the device is used as a scaffold, the section 14 lies in a horizontal plane, and a board 20 is placed longitudinally thereon for the workman to stand upon, this board being removed, however, when the device is used as a ladder.

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible ladder and scaffold including a pair of end ladder sections and an intermediate ladder section, the endmost rungs of the intermediate section being pivotally engaged with the end sections to permit movement of the sections into positions at angles to each other and into longitudinal alinement, removable rungs in the end sections adapted to engage through the intermediate section at timesto hold the sections in longitudinal alinement and" in the intermediate section at times to holdthe sections at angles With respect to each other, and links movably carried'by the end sections and arranged to receive said removable rungs at times when the sections are in'longitudin'al alineme'nt and at times when the .sections are in positions at angles to each other. v

2. A convertible ladder and scaflold comprising a pair of end ladder sections and an intermediate ladder section movably connected together and arranged to lie in 1011- gitudinal alinement inladder forming position and at angles With respect to each other in scaffold forming position, links carrled by the endsectlons having openings in V the ends of'the side rails thereof, the ends of theside rails of the intermediate section" havlng openings arranged to register With the openings or the end sections at times and vvith the openings of the links at times,

and removable rungs arranged to be engaged through said registered openings in ladder forming position and in scafi'oldforming position certain of the removable.

rungs being arranged to engage through the links and engage With the edge faces ofthe v rails of the intermediate section When in scafiold forming position. 7

In testimony VVhGIGOL'I aflix my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

a 7 WILLIAM H. BOSTWICK. Witnesses EDWARD CAME, HERMIONE BosTWIoK. 

